Soft tofu and ground pork in a spicy, savory Sichuan sauce scented with fermented chile bean paste and Sichuan pepper.
Cut the tofu into large cubes
Brown the pork in a wok or deep pan
Add doubanjiang, black beans, garlic and ginger
Add stock and soy sauce
Slide the tofu in gently
Simmer for 8 minutes
Thicken lightly with a cornstarch slurry
Finish with freshly ground Sichuan pepper
Mapo tofu is one of the best-known dishes of Sichuan cuisine. It combines soft tofu with minced meat, fermented chile bean paste and Sichuan pepper to create the region's characteristic interplay of heat, savoriness and numbing spice.
The dish is closely associated with Chengdu and with stories about a nineteenth-century restaurant owner whose tofu became famous. Like many culinary origin stories, details vary in retelling, but the dish's connection to Sichuan is unquestioned.
Doubanjiang provides fermented chile and bean depth, while Sichuan pepper adds the tingling sensation known as ma. The tofu itself remains soft and mild, absorbing the sauce.
Modern versions range from intensely hot to relatively mild. Beef or pork may be used, and vegetarian versions omit meat entirely. This recipe keeps the classic pork-and-tofu structure.
Mapo tofu demonstrates the Sichuan principle that strong flavor does not require expensive ingredients. Tofu becomes the center of a dish through technique and seasoning.
4 servings